The decision to begin a family often coincides with the years during which students are engaged in full-time graduate school. According to the Survey of Earned Doctorates, a national census of recently graduated doctoral recipients, over half (55.3%) of all doctoral recipients are over the age of 30. For these graduate students, the birth or adoption of a child is a significant life event that may require time away from academic pursuits for recovery and bonding. 

Because most graduate students do not meet the eligibility requirements for the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), many universities have implemented policies to allow a parent to spend time, energy and focus on the care of and responsibility of their new child. However, we found that 32% of America’s top research universities provide no paid leave for their graduate students. This can force graduate students to choose between forgoing the standard recovery time allotted for childbirth-related short-term disability leave and miss out on critical bonding time with their new child or fall into financial distress and risk jeopardizing their studies. Additionally, over 70% of America’s top research universities provide 6 weeks or less of paid leave for their graduate students.